Jan Ekier
Jan Stanisław Ekier (29 August 1913 – 15 August 2014) was a Polish pianist and composer best known for creating the Chopin National Edition, a respected critical edition of Chopin's works.
Born in Kraków, he studied piano with Olga Stolfowa and composition with Bernardino Rizzi at the Władysław Żeleński School of Music. He continued at the Warsaw Conservatory, studying piano with Zbigniew Drzewicki and composition with Kazimierz Sikorski. In 1937 he won 8th prize at the III International Chopin Piano Competition. He later studied organ with Bronisław Rutkowski.
In 1959 he began work on a new, critical edition of Chopin's works. This edition became the Chopin National Edition. Between 1967 and 2010, 37 volumes of Chopin's works were published, with source notes and performance guidance.
His contributions were recognized with awards: in 2004 a special Ministry of Culture prize for his work on Chopin’s legacy and the National Edition; in 2000 he received the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta; and in 2010 he received the Order of the White Eagle.
Ekier also served as the chair of the jury for the XIII International Chopin Piano Competition. His first wife was actress Danuta Szaflarska. He died in Warsaw, two weeks before his 101st birthday. His students included Marta Karbownicka, Bronisława Kawalla, Piotr Paleczny, Alicja Paleta-Bugaj and Yuko Kawai.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:49 (CET).